MINNOW-TROLLING TACKLE. 135 



the proper way of using it, I have found, after a long 

 experience and a persevering trial of numberless sys- 

 tems, to be as follows : 



The rod for trolling should be considerably longer 

 and stouter than the single-handed fly-rod, and not less 

 than fifteen or sixteen feet in length, and rather stiffer 

 and altogether more powerful than the double-handed 

 rod for trouting purposes. A light salmon-rod of sixteen 

 feet makes a very efficient implement. An extra stiff 

 top-piece to the fly-rod is sometimes used in lieu of one 

 for the special purpose ; but, like most other substitutes, 

 it never does the work in the same efficient style. A 

 long rod in this kind of fishing not only gives the sports- 

 man a much greater command of water, but it also enables 

 him to keep his jolly countenance out of sight of the 

 fish. A certain amount of stiffness in the rod is also 

 essential in order to play the bait properly and strike a 

 fish with quickness when he seizes it. 



The reel-line for minnow-trolling must be of a thicker 

 and stronger texture than the fly-line, while the whole 

 of the swivel-traces and the gut-line should be formed 

 of salmon gut, or the strongest and soundest trouting gut. 

 My own method of fitting up a swivel-trace is as under : 

 To the end loop of the reel-line I attach about two 

 feet of casting line, formed of three plies of stout round 

 trouting gut, twisted together ; to this is looped a strong 

 box swivel ; then two and a half or three feet of round 

 single salmon gut, having at its termination a hook- 

 swivel, by means of which I can attach any set of min- 

 now-hooks at pleasure, as the latter are all whipped only 



